


If You Insist

by AsgardsLight



Category: LazyTown
Genre: Gender Identity, Gender Issues, Insecurity, Love Confessions, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-20
Updated: 2018-09-20
Packaged: 2019-07-14 16:02:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16043807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AsgardsLight/pseuds/AsgardsLight
Summary: When Pride Month comes up in LazyTown and the citizens are starting preparations for the party a certain town villain starts to behave rather strange.Will Sportacus be able to find out what's wrong and help him?





	If You Insist

"Candyboy! What is all this fuss about again?" groans Robbie Rotten while he stares at the busy citizens of LazyTown running around and working at the great meeting place "Why does it look like a unicorn puked rainbow-colored toffee all over town???"

"Toffee?!" Ziggy looks at him with big eyes and then back to the place, his face soon growing slightly disappointed again "Oh... You mean the flags and banners? Why does it look like toffee to you? And did you see a unicorn somewhere around here or..."  
"Candyboy!" snaps the town villain now annoyed "Forget what I said! Just tell me what is all this about!?"  
The kid winces a little at Robbie's yell and tilts his head "Why, Robbie... Is everything okay? You seem to be...upset?"  
"Well, what do you expect?! All this noise woke me up from my nap and I still got no answer what is going on h-"  
"Hi, Robbie! Ziggy."  
Robbie does such a jump, the next second he's sitting on the small wall he's been hiding behind until a few minutes ago and doesn't really understand how he got there out of a sudden. His heart is still hammering violently and he stares at the cause for his shock.  
"Sorry!" Sportacus laughs apologizing "I didn't mean to scare you, Robbie. I just wanted to check why you're yelling at Ziggy like that." The villain needs a moment to regain his composure then he crosses his arms in front of his chest and glares at the hero while still sitting on the wall "I didn't yell at him!"  
"I heard you from over there," Sportacus points in the distance and gives the other a slightly scolding look "You did yell."  
"Well, maybe I'm already deaf from all that noise these kids are making all the time! And today I don't even know what stupid game they're playing! All I see are colors!"  
"You're yelling again, Robbie..." remarks the boy with a light grin.  
"Ziggy," murmurs the hero lowly before smiling lightly and taking a look at the business himself. Not just the kids are running around with colorful things, even Bessie and the mayor are. Robbie on the other hand looks quite tired and almost more exhausted than annoyed...  
"Now, Ziggy," Sportacus nods over to the meeting place "Tell us, what are you playing, hm?"  
"Oh, don't act as if all this...moving isn't your doing again, Sportaflop!" growls the villain now accusing. "It is not. I am just as clueless as you, Robbie," assures the hero friendly before focusing on the boy again. Ziggy looks back and forth between them, his eyes growing huge "You don't know what month it is?!"  
"June. Stupid b-"  
"Robbie."  
"...question," finishes the inventor his sentence and averts eye contact with the hero to avoid meeting his warning glare. Ziggy laughs "Yeah! And June is Pride Month!"  
"June is what now again?!?" Robbie stares at him utterly confused now and is kind of relieved to see the same expression on the hero's face after taking a quick glance at him.  
"Pride Month. Don't you know what that is? We learned it at school," announces Ziggy proudly "It's the month for LGBT people! You know... Men that like men, and women that like women, and... Uhm..."  
"People who like both, and men that rather want to be women, and women who rather want to be men. Of course!" Sportacus laughs softly, happily "I've read about that! But I didn't know it's in June!"  
"It is!" Ziggy grows even more proud and a little excited "And we're gonna celebrate it with a huge party! Everybody is invited and that's why we're working so hard!"  
"...and loud..." murmurs Robbie more to himself. Ziggy and Sportacus both look at him now. They noticed that the usual edge and the annoyance in the villain's voice was missing, and now they realize it's the same with his eyes. They look dull and even more tired than before.  
"Well... I'm sorry about that..." remarks Ziggy now carefully "It's not intentionally. We're just..."  
But Robbie weakly, dismissing waves his hand and slowly lets himself slide down from the wall "I'm just gonna search another place for my nap as long as all this lasts..."  
"You're...not gonna try to...manipulate our work?" asks the boy now carefully. Robbie who's already slowly heading away just shakes his head in negation and walks on, leaving behind a quite puzzled hero and Ziggy.  
"Is he...okay?"  
"I don't know, Ziggy... I don't think so..." replies Sportacus with a worried frown and then looks at the kid "You don't need my help with the preparations at the moment, do you?"  
"No, we're fine."  
"Good. Then I think...I'll make sure that our beloved troublemaker finds a good place to rest..."  
"Good idea," Ziggy nods approving "We need to know where to find him, anyway so we can call him when the party starts!"  
Sportacus smiles and nods then he flips away and after Robbie.  
Ziggy meanwhile leaves to pick up helping his friends again...

  
"Robbie! Wait up!"  
The villain groans "What do you want, Sportaflop? I said I wouldn't cause any trouble and I was serious this time! I just want to... Just leave me be, okay?! You won't see anything of me during June."  
"But that's the opposite of what we want!" with another flip the hero jumps over the other and lands right in front of him, smiling brightly at him. Robbie winces back and just looks at him for a second before he tries his best to sound annoyed "What's that supposed to mean again?"  
"Well, you're invited to the party as well, of course!" Sportacus smiles even more and reaches out to gently nudge the inventor's arm like he does it with the kids sometimes to cheer them up. But Robbie quickly takes a step back, his expression growing alert and even scared for a moment. The hero furrows his brows now even more concerned but before he can open his mouth to ask something Robbie snaps weakly "Anyway! I'm not coming!"  
"But..."  
"I'm not interested in any loud parties and...and...whatever!" Robbie flails with his arms and then attempts to walk around the other in a great circle. But Sportacus blocks his way "Robbie. What is wrong?"  
"Wrong?!" Robbie tries to laugh but he realizes that it fails miserably and he quickly clears his throat and defensively crosses his arms in front of his chest again "How do you get the idea that anything is wrong?!?"  
"You're behaving...strange."  
"Well, maybe it's because I'm tired! I didn't sleep all night again and I... I... I've been...working on a...uhm...plan to drive you out of town and... I..." Robbie realizes too late how bad he's stammering and he starts to panic so he clenches his hands into fists and growls "And this is none of your business!"  
Sportacus softly shakes his head "You're a very bad liar, Robbie."  
"Excuse me!?" the inventor turns a dark shade of red and opens his mouth but then he quickly turns away instead to head back into the direction he came from. Anywhere, just away from this horrible hero...who's so horrible correct... But of course he won't let him get away like this.  
"Robbie," a single jump and he's right in front of the villain again, eyeing him with growing concern "I'm sorry if I upset you. I just want to help you..."  
"I don't need your help, Sportaflop!" Robbie stomps his foot and feels his face growing even hotter in embarrassment. He feels like a stubborn child...again... "I... I just...need some...sleep..." he mumbles after a while of silence and looks at the ground, wishing for it to open up and swallow him whole. Sportacus knows that's not all. But he just witnessed how bad the other reacts on any kind of help or advice attempts.  
"Okay. Then please...let me show you a good place where you can sleep a little in peace."  
"As if you'd know where such a place could be..." mumbles the other still without raising his gaze. "Oh, but I do! After all, a healthy, peaceful sleep is just as important as enough moving if not more!" the hero's soft smile is audible and he carefully takes another step closer to the other "So... Do you allow me to show it to you?"  
Robbie wants to negate especially after feeling this strange tingle in his stomach and chest at hearing the hero's gentle words directed at him. But for his own shock he hears his own reply "If it makes you leave me be then!"  
"Yes. If...you insist. Then yes..." Sportacus doesn't manage to hide his disappointment completely. Robbie feels even more tingling but finally manages to look at the other again, his voice not even half as powerful and annoyed as he wants it to be "Then what are we waiting for?!" Robbie pushes past the hero and walks a few meters before he stops, and, blushing even worse, does an annoyed but mostly helpless gesture with his hand "Then you should probably take the lead..."  
Sportacus manages to suppress a soft smile and nods instead, walking over to the other and gently nudges the wincing villain towards the woods.

  
"What?!"  
"It's absolutely quiet in there. And it even has a bed. That would be much better for you than sleeping on a bench or..."  
"Do you think I'm that stupid!?" Robbie immediately turns around and wants to dash off. Just away from here. Away from this cheap trick. Away from this airship!  
"Robbie, wait!" once again this day Sportacus blocks the villain's way, his expression hurt "I would never trick you! I want you to rest!"  
"You're gonna lock me up in there! Or even fly off! You know that I hate heights!" Robbie starts to shake at the mere thought of being stuck up there in the hero's airship...again.  
"Yes, I know. That's why I'd never do that to you," states Sportacus now gently and reaches out to touch the villain's arm once more. Again, the other winces back. The fear has returned to his eyes and body language and Sportacus quickly takes a step back, signalling that he doesn't want to grab and force the inventor to enter the ship in any way. Robbie blinks slowly when he notices that. Then it slowly dawns on him that, if Sportacus really wanted to lock him up in any way this would've already happened by now because not even the town villain is so bold to believe that he'd stand a chance against the hero's strength.  
"It... It's too...bright in there, anyway..." murmurs Robbie finally and glances at the airship, shuffling with his feet in a nervous manner "...I couldn't sleep there like that..."  
"Oh, it has blinds! I can turn it completely dark inside, don't worry!" Sportacus can't hide his happiness over the inventor's voluntary talking now. Robbie gives him a shy but also slightly disbelieving look "Why...does it even bother you if I can sleep? Do you...want me out of the way for..." he doesn't finish his sentence, he just looks questioning at the hero.  
"No. That truly got nothing to do with that. More...on the contrary. I..." Sportacus hesitates and tries to consider how much open talk might scare Robbie off again, but then he decides to risk it "I'm worried about you."  
Robbie blinks once. Slowly. Then he blinks again before asking barely audible "You're what?"  
"Worried."  
"Worried?" echoes the villain still as lowly and then he sighs softly, turns away very slowly and murmurs "Should've thought that you're just making fun of me with this whole thing..."  
"Robbie?" Sportacus becomes even more concerned at hearing this "What are you talking about?! I'm not making fun of you! I'd never..."  
"Yeah, okay. Joke's over now, okay? I got it..." Robbie weakly waves his hand again and his shoulders drop even more "I understand..."  
"No, obviously you do not!" now Sportacus jumps over him again, blocks his way and tries to look into Robbie's eyes "This is no joke! Robbie, I realy am worried about you! Since Ziggy said what they're doing...you look...so..." he searches for the right word "...sad... Ziggy noticed, too! We agreed that I should follow you to make sure..."  
"...that I don't cause any trouble?"  
"...that you'll be okay! And now I know for certain that you are not! Robbie..." carefully, Sportacus reaches out with one hand but this time he doesn't touch the other but offers him his bare palm "Please. Come inside and tell me what is wrong out of a sudden. You're not your usual self..."  
Robbie stares down at the offered hand and feels that he's close to either sobbing or breaking into a cold sweat...maybe both... But then he blinks in utter confusion when he watches his own shaking hand rise and then lower again very slowly into the offered, strong hand of the hero. Sportacus is just as surprised by his action but he manages to push this feeling aside and instead focuses on closing his hand very, very lightly and softly around the villain's, locking his own eyes with Robbie's still scared ones and gently pulling him over to the airship, whispering softly "Come. Let's take a seat..."

  
Why did he let this happen? How could he allow himself getting dragged here by the town hero? Although...admittedly 'dragged' doesn't do the gentle treatment of the hero any justice. Robbie groans lowly and wraps his arms tighter around himself.  
"Are you cold, Robbie?"  
He winces at Sportacus' low question and blinks his eyes open again. Strange. When did he even close them?...  
"No... I'm... I'm good..." his voice sounds strange even to his own ears. Sportacus swallows his comment that he looks just like the opposite is the case and walks over to him instead, but keeping a certain distance so the other won't have to shrink back again. "I put a glass and a bottle of water next to the bed in case you are thirsty when you wake up. And there are more blankets in the closet over there…"  
"...Thanks..." Robbie doesn't know what else to do or say but then he asks again "And it's...really okay for you if I...sleep in your bed? I mean..." his voice trails off. Sportacus suppresses a sigh and smiles softly instead. They just had a five minute discussion about this topic because Robbie's first instinct was to yell in audible but surprising panic "I'm not sleeping in your bed, Sportaflop!!!"  
But Sportacus has managed to talk him into it after a while.  
So now he smiles even more encouragingly and nods "It's perfectly fine for me, really. Don't worry about it! Just try to get some sleep... You...need it..."  
The inventor is too exhausted to argue with that and so he just nods, mutters once more "Thanks..." and then almost stumbles over to the bed, drops down on it and then fixes his eyes on the hero. Sportacus understands at once "I'll be gone then. But if you need anything..."  
Robbie weakly shakes his head no. "Okay... See you later then. Sleep well!" with a small, soft smile, the hero leaves the airship and the villain alone in it to get some urgently needed sleep...

  
"Robbie!?" Sportacus dashes into the airship "Lights!"  
"Ah!" Robbie sits up with a jerk and shut squeezed eyes at the bright light, trembling violently and clutching to the blanket.  
"Robbie!" the hero is next to the shaking man at once "Robbie, are you okay???" The other is panting heavily but he finally manages to open his eyes again and blinks repeatedly, staring at the hero...and at his hand that he put on Robbie's shoulder right away when he arrived at the bed. Then he stammers lowly "Y-Yes..."  
"Are you sure?!" Sportacus can't help himself, he reaches out to cup Robbie's cheek to hold his head steady. But the villain winces back again reflexively and nearly falls off the bed during this.  
"Robbie!" the hero quickly catches him and pulls him into a proper position, then he once again gets into a distance that will calm the other and tries to talk softly "Easy. It's okay."  
"Y-You tell me... You came in here screaming, S-Sportaf-flop!" stammers the other and swallows hard and starts to rub his shoulder in an attempt to get rid of the feeling of the hero's hand there. Not because it's unpleasant! The opposite is the case. But that only scares him more...  
"I'm sorry," Sportacus frowns, disappointed in himself "I... I just reacted like this because...my crystal went off and showed me that you were in distress so I hurried here and wanted to help you..."  
"Well then you... Your crystal...was mistaken!" snaps Robbie suddenly and looks away. He doesn't want to be this mean to the hero who obviously just wanted to help. But his instincts...his panic tells him to shut any attempt of the other off because he's simply afraid...to get hurt...  
"Robbie," Sportacus' gentle voice rids him out off his dark, confused thoughts "My crystal never is mistaken. Come on. Tell me what is wrong..."  
"Nothing!"  
"Robbie."  
The villain looks away and then tries to focus on the white wall, telling himself to breathe and to ignore everything he's feeling right now...  
Sportacus sighs mutely. Why is the other refusing to tell him what is upsetting him? His eyes move over the bed and finally reach the pillow. He furrows his brows and then carefully, unnoticed by the inventor reaches out to touch it. It's soaked. Soaked with tears. So his crystal was right.  
"...You didn't sleep at all...did you, Robbie?..." asks the hero finally softly. The villain closes his eyes and a shuddering breath escapes him. He feels called out. He feels horrible for ranting at the hero like that. He feels...sad...  
"...No... I didn't..." his voice breaks. Suddenly everything becomes unimportant. "I was busy crying my eyes out," he states emotionlessly and glances at the hero's hand at the pillow "...As you probably already figured..."  
Sportacus notices his change of voice at once and grows even more concerned "Why did you cry, Robbie? Why didn't you talk to me when I asked you..."  
"Because it doesn't matter."  
"How can you say that? You cried about it. This..."  
"I should go. I can't sleep here either so it doesn't matter where I am, anyway. But thanks for trying," he gives him an as well emotionless smile and stands up from the bed, swaying slightly but without noticing it as it seems.  
"Robbie," Sportacus jumps up and follows him outside, softly calling his name again and again until he finally calls a little louder "Why does Pride Month upset you so much?"  
Robbie freezes. He feels something inside his chest shattering, gasps and clenches his hands into fists.  
"Robbie?" Sportacus approaches him carefully, seeing how bad he starts to shake out of a sudden "Robbie, you should..."  
At this moment the villain breaks down crying and sobbing.  
"Oh, Robbie..." Sportacus sighs lowly, then he kneels down behind the other and carefully wraps his arms around him, ignoring his low cry and wincing this time and softly murmurs "Come. Let's sit down over there..."

  
"...I don't know...what I am..." Robbie's voice is weak and low and utterly sad "...How I am... Why I am? I don't...even know how to formulate it..."  
Sportacus carefully wraps a fluffy blanket around his shoulders and very gently strokes his back through it. This time the inventor doesn't wince at his touch. He leans into it. Sportacus is just as happy as unsettled by this.  
"Maybe...you mean who you are?" he suggests softly.  
Robbie shrugs weakly and stares at the trees ahead "I don't know..." Now the hero hands him a cup of tea and the villain accepts this just as unresisting as the blanket before and the hero's guidance to sit down on the opened door of the airship.  
"You need some rest, Robbie. Maybe then..."  
"No," now the inventor turns his head to look at the hero and sadly shakes his head "I've been trying to find out since...since I can remember... Sleep won't help anything."  
"I see... But it will help you to calm down a little. You're...exhausted," reasons the hero softly. Robbie just stares at him for over one minute. Then he asks carefully "You were not...just making fun of me, were you?..."  
"Of course not. I already told you. I would never make fun of you! Least of all when you're in obvious...distress," Sportacus carefully sits down next to the other now. Not too close because he doesn't want to scare him off again. The villain nods very slowly, then he sighs softly and looks at the cup in his hands, murmuring "I didn't know that there are...parties and...celebrations...and even a whole month for... For people that aren't...normal..."  
"Normal?" Sportacus furrows his brows "But of course these people are 'normal'! Being not 'straight' or 'according to cliché' doesn't make one 'abnormal' in any way!"  
"I guess you...have to say that...since you're a hero..."  
"One got nothing to do with the other, Robbie. This is my personal belief. To me, we're all the same. No matter ethic, no matter religion, no matter age, no matter gender, no matter sexual or romantic orientation. We're all the same. And we're all different. And that is good," the hero's voice is calm and gentle but firm. Robbie eyes him for a moment then he murmurs "...All the same...and all different... That's..." a very faint smile washes over his lips "...That's...nice to hear..."  
Sportacus feels happy at seeing the inventor smile, albeit just for a second. The next three minutes Robbie is sipping his tea in silence and his rival is just watching him, sitting perfectly still next to him during this.  
"Maybe...I should've broken down sooner if I had known that it will stop your endless jumping and moving..." another very weak smile and a soft blush. The hero chuckles "Maybe. But I'd rather see you smile than cry and collapse on the ground, Robbie."  
The other blushes even more at hearing this and starts to fumble with the half full cup in his hands, stuttering "I... Uhm... M-May I...a-ask you...something...personal, Sportafl- Sportacus? You don't have to answer of course if..."  
"Robbie," interrupts the hero gently and very carefully rests his hand on the villain's badly shaking one "You can ask me anything. And I promise to be honest with you."  
Robbie feels as if he's starting to sweat again at the hero's touch, but instead his body grows even colder and he reflexively pulls the blanket tighter around his shoulders with one hand. "I... You... I-I...wanted to ask you...whether... I mean if... D-Do you..." the inventor's head starts spinning.  
"Hey..." Sportacus notices his uneasiness and first takes the cup from his shaking hand, puts it aside and then gently wraps an arm around him "Shush. Easy, Robbie. It's okay. Just take a deep breath and then ask ahead. I promise I won't be angry, no matter what you ask."  
"R-Really? D-Do you...swear?"  
"I swear."  
"O-Okay..." Robbie takes a shaky breath in, closes his eyes and mumbles quickly "Doyouknowwhoyou'reattractedto?" then he quickly hides his face behind the blanket.  
Sportacus blinks slowly "I'm...sorry... What..."  
"You don't have to answer, I told you! I..."  
"No, no! That's not it! I just... I didn't understand a word, Robbie," admits the hero gently and softly strokes his back "Could you repeat your question? And this time maybe...a little slower?"  
The other blushes furiously and shakes his head no.  
"Robbie. I can't help you...nor answer your questions if I don't understand what you're saying. Come on. You really don't have to be afraid..."  
Robbie takes another deep breath in. He knows that his rival is right of course. "Do you... Do you know...who you're...attracted to? I... I mean...w-whether...it's..."  
"Whether I like men or women?" helps the hero softly with a very light smile. The inventor lowers his eyes and nods weakly.  
"Yes. But...I needed very long to find out. In fact..."  
"You may needed long but I...I still don't know!" cries Robbie now lowly and the next second, without really realizing it, buries his face in the hero's shoulder. Sportacus softly starts stroking the back of his head now and murmurs "I didn't know until...about four years ago either..."  
Robbie's next sob gets stuck in his throat. He pulls back and looks at the other with huge eyes "R-Really?"  
"Really," the hero smiles softly "Not until I met...a certain someone... So maybe that you don't know for sure yet only means that...you haven't met your special someone yet." He's glad that he managed to cover the tiny disappointed tremble in his own voice at this last sentence. Robbie blushes lightly and starts fumbling with the rim of the blanket "I'm not...even sure whether I... Whether I'm happy with...what I am..." his voice breaks, he blushes even worse and tries to hide from the hero's soft eyes somehow. Why do they have to be this gentle and blue and clear anyway?! And then what he said... That he found out about his own...tendency just four years ago... That's... That's the period he's in LazyTown already, isn't it?! So...did the hero find his special person...here? But who could that be? Surely not Bessie or Milford!? And he hardly gets in contact with any other grownups... Maybe the chef that visited the town once?! Oh, hopefully not! Or...did he find someone at his home...wherever heroes come from? And then he had to leave to go to LazyTown?! That would be...  
Robbie internally shakes his head. Why does he care? Asking him...would surely be impolite anyway... And what is this strange feeling again?  
"Robbie?"  
"H-Hm?"  
"Are you...all right?"  
"Y-Yeah... Yeah."  
"But you don't look all right..." states Sportacus carefully and raises his hand to feel the other's forehead. Thereby he wonders whether Robbie suddenly appears so pale and even more shaky...because he understood. Did he realize who the hero was referring to when he said he found his special someone? Is that why he appears so stressed and...worked up out of a sudden? Did he...even scare him? If he isn't even sure who he's attracted to maybe Sportacus' answer about his own attraction unnerves him even more...  
"Sport...acus..." rasps Robbie suddenly lowly. He's frozen at the touch of the hero and is now staring at the hand feeling his temperature. "Hm?" torn out of his own thoughts and fears, Sportacus blinks slowly and then finally realizes what he's doing "Sorry! I just wanted to make sure that you have no fever! You... You don't. If at all...you're rather..."  
"...cold..." finishes the inventor and follows the pulled back hand of the other with his eyes.  
"...Yes..." the hero feels even more nervous now "I'm sorry. I know you don't like to...get touched... It was just..."  
"...an impulse," finishes the other his sentence once more and smiles very weakly and shyly "I...know... It's... It's okay...I guess..."  
Sportacus blinks slowly and nods, then he blushes a little and needs a moment to focus on Robbie's problem again, not on his own...feelings or whatever...  
"Sportacus..."  
"Hm?"  
"Would it be...impolite to ask...how you...found out that...you are... U-Uhm... Whatever you...are?" the inventor literally pulls the blanket over his head now, wishing he could take back what he just asked. Sportacus smiles softly although he feels even more nervous because he fears to unsettle the other with his answer. But he promised him to be honest. Gently he pulls the cover off Robbie's head and replies calmly "I felt my heartbeat picking up and like I had to do a million flips out of excitement the moment I saw...him. That's when I knew."  
"Him..." echoes the villain under his breath. So it's the chef, isn't it?... He feels the strange feeling in his stomach taking over the rest of his body and swallows hard.  
"Y-Yes..." Sportacus sees at once that he's actually unnerved the other with this statement "But I-I would never..."  
"It's okay," Robbie's voice is small and close to a sob "You don't have to apologize. I... I understand..."  
Does he?  
Both men ask themselves this question.  
Minutes of heavy, almost burning silence pass.  
Then the hero reminds himself of his task: saving and helping people. And he swallows his regrets and self-reproaches and starts again in a calm, soft voice "You said that you are not sure whether you're happy with what you are... Can you...maybe explain this further? What do you...feel exactly that hints that you're...unhappy with the way you are?"  
Robbie sniffs lowly and tries to fight the feeling in his stomach...and heart, then he shrugs and almost whispers "I don't...know how to explain it... It's... W-When I wake up in the morning...if I could sleep at all before...I just feel so...strange... So...wrong... So...empty... and tired..."  
"You feel...wrong?" A weak nod then a mumbled "I don't know how else to describe it... And I don't know what it...means..."  
"Me neither..." admits the hero after a while lowly, then he gently, hesitatingly wraps an arm around his rival's shoulders "But I'd gladly try to help you find out... If you...let me and...feel comfortable with this thought..."  
Robbie reflexively leans against the other's shoulder and blushes a little again. At his words he lifts a brow in mild surprise, but then he nods very weakly "...Yes... I... I would...like that..."  
Sportacus can't help the soft, relieved sigh escaping him at his answer "Good! I already feared..." he quickly cuts himself off and instead asks "Do you... Do you want me to...leave you alone again now...or do you need anything?"  
The villain weakly shakes his head and murmurs shyly "Just...sit with me here for a little while longer, please... If you...can bear it..."  
"With pleasure," Sportacus' soft reply leaves no doubt that he's meaning it. Robbie smiles lightly, closes his eyes and sighs softly. For once, he feels content and calm...and not so 'wrong'...

  
"...Do you...meet him sometimes?..."  
"Who?" Sportacus looks at the other with slight puzzlement but doesn't interrupt his work to prepare some sandwiches. He's glad that Robbie eventually agreed to eat something since he really appeared like he didn't in about a week. And the hero wasn't so sure whether this isn't actually the case although after their talk and Sportacus' promise he already seemed to feel a lot better. But now he's nervously playing with the empty cup in his hands and shifting on the bed of the hero as if he couldn't bear to sit still another second. And his next words surprise the hero even more, especially since they're said with quite some spite "This...chef..."  
"You mean Pablo?" now the hero does stop with his work and blinks slowly, utterly confused now.  
"Yeah...him..." Robbie is surprised about his own low growl and quickly looks aside again, unable to meet the hero's gaze.  
"Uhm... I..."  
"That's none of my business. You're right. Sorry," adds the villain quickly with gritted teeth and suddenly stands up from the bed "That was a bad idea."  
"What? Why..."  
"I shouldn't be bothering you! I feel...so silly..." Robbie isn't aware of the tears gathering in his eyes but he turns to the door now "I'll go. Don't worry about..."  
"Robbie!" Sportacus is once again flipping over to him to block his way, then he stares at him in disbelief "That's... Why... You... You didn't even eat anything! And you promised me you would!"  
"I'm not hungry..." he fixes his eyes on the ground again while trying to walk around the other. But the hero won't let him "What is it out of a sudden? You appeared to feel better until now! What..."  
"All this has been a big mistake. And I apologize for that! I just..."  
"What mistake?!? And why are you apologizing!? I should be the one apologizing to you!"  
"What? Why would you do that?"  
"Because I upset you..."  
"You're...not to blame for your...feelings, Sportacus..." Robbie's voice breaks and the tears start rolling now.  
"But I should've kept my mouth shut! I didn't mean to scare you, Robbie! Honestly! I..."  
"Scare me?" now the other finally meets the hero's eyes again, his own reflecting hurt and confusion "I'm not...scared... Why would I be scared?"  
"Because...of what I told you about my...feelings..." the hero lowers his eyes. Now Robbie feels stupid because he still doesn't understand what Sportacus is implying "You... It's... It's not your fault...when you...fall in love with someone..." it feels strange to be the one consoling the hero out of a sudden but the villain can't stand seeing the other this...upset with himself so he adds after a while with gritted teeth once again "And...you and...Pablo...fit together...rather...well, I guess... And he... He doesn't seem too bad of a choice... Considering that..."  
"Wait, what?!" Sportacus suddenly grabs Robbie's shoulder with one hand and stares at him as if the other just said he'd plan a second trip to the moon before he finally understands "You... Y-You think...me and...him... That I..."  
"Who else if not him?!" Robbie returns the look the same way "I mean... I didn't know that you...met anybody else..."  
"Oh, Robbie!" suddenly the hero bursts out in tears of laughter and leans on the inventor during this "Robbie! You... You got that completely wrong!"  
"...What?..." the inventor winces lightly. Is the other making fun of him after all?...  
Sportacus quickly regains his composure again, his smile softens and he instinctively but incredible gently cups Robbie's cheek with one hand now "Robbie... I wasn't talking about Pablo. I wasn't even thinking about him."  
The villain's eyes grow wide at the loving touch but he doesn't wince away "N-Not?"  
"No."  
"Then who..."  
"I thought it was obvious..." Sportacus' smile softens even more and he carefully closes the last space between them, his eyes locking with Robbie's while his other hand now moves to grab one of the inventor's "I thought...you'd understand...that I was talking about my first day in LazyTown..."  
Robbie's world starts to spin and he rasps almost as if his mind is doing a final desperate attempt to ignore the obvious again "The m-mayor?..."  
"Robbie..." Sportacus' smile and voice grow lower and even milder and he squeezes his hand "You know whom I'm talking about..."  
Robbie starts to shake badly "N-No...that...can't be..."  
"It can. And it is," the hero starts to caress his cheek with his thumb now, incredible gently "I'm in love with you, Robbie. Since the first moment I saw you. And being able to say 'Hi' to you during these years always made my day..." suddenly his gaze drops a little and he pulls back again, remembering their talk before "But...if you don't feel the same way..."  
"No! I mean yes!" Robbie reflexively grabs both his hands, keeping the one on his cheek steady while sniffing under tears "Yes, I do feel the same way, Sportacus! I just... I didn't know... I didn't understand... I... I still don't... But I... I want to! I want to love you! You're... You're all that I've got! The... The best that I've got..." he breaks up in a small hiccup and his vision blurs.  
The hero notices this "Easy, Robbie!" and gently but quickly lifts him up from the ground now and carries him over to the bed again, murmuring soothingly but with a few tears himself "Easy... I'm there. It's okay. You're okay..."  
"Am I?" Robbie buries his face in the hero's shoulder and whimpers lowly "What could you do with a guy that isn't really sure whether he's...inside what he looks on the outside?... You shouldn't..."  
"Robbie," interrupts Sportacus him gently "I love you because you're you. No matter what and who you are NOW and no matter what and who you'll chose to be in the future. I'll be there. I'll be with you. And I will love you. If you let me."  
The other nods very weakly against his shoulder and rasps "Yes... Yes, I'll...let you...but only if..."  
"...Yes?..."  
"...If you...are honest with me... Always. I... I don't want you to...suffer or...feel embarrassed because of me..." Robbie searches his ex-rival's eyes, once the hero gently seated him on the bed. Sportacus furrows his brows. The inventor can't help but look aside at this. It doesn't look that angry on the hero but rather...scolding... And his voice is as well, albeit still soft and calm "Don't ever say or think things like this again, Robbie. I could never feel embarrassed because of you! And the only thing that makes me suffer is seeing you sad or hurt!"  
Robbie blushes a dark shade of red again but nods very shyly "Okay..."  
Sportacus smiles satisfied and then softly strokes the other's cheek with his thumb again "Good. Then please let me coddle you up a little now. You need food and sleep. And I won't leave you unwatched for a single second until you got both!"  
Now the other smiles weakly "Really? Then I'm not sure whether I want to eat or sleep ever again..."  
The hero chuckles softly "That would collide with you not wanting to make me suffer. Because then you'd fall sick. And I couldn't bear with that. Never forget that," he bows down and plants a very soft kiss on the inventor's forehead, murmuring "But don't worry. I won't leave your side for longer than absolutely necessary though, my sweet, wonderful Robbie..."  
Robbie closes his eyes at the kiss and these words and whispers under his breath in a happy, dreamy voice "...If you insist..."


End file.
